Randy Caballero title fight set for Oct. 18

Coachella boxer Randy Caballero finally has a date and site to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a world champion. It's just coming two months later than he had originally expected.

Caballero and his father/trainer Marcus confirmed a title fight against former champion Stuart Hall is set for Oct. 18 in Sheffield, England for the vacant IBF bantamweight belt. As of now, Marcos Caballero said the fight will be televised on British television, but didn't know if it will be shown in U.S.

For Caballero, he hopes this will be the end of the numerous delays he's faced since winning a title eliminator bout on April 4 against Kohei Oba in Kobe, Japan.

After Caballero won his fight, he expected to have a title fight in early summer against Hall, who held the belt at the time. But Hall avoided his mandatory to face fellow Englishman Paul Butler on June 17, where he lost the title.

Caballero was waiting to see if a fight would be made with Butler, but Butler instead relinquished the title so he could pursue the title in the lighter super flyweight division. So Caballero thought he would be able to fight for the title in August, but Golden Boy lost a purse bid to Hall's promoters.

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm still going to be in shape and ready to go," Caballero said. "Unfortunately, we have to go over there and do what we have to do, but it's not going to throw me off my game plan. I'm ready to go. I'm hungry. I want that title regardless of what date, time, place. I still have to take care of business once I'm in that ring."

Because Caballero thought he would be fighting in August, he had been in training, preparing for a title fight. Now that he knows he has over two months until the fight, Caballero will take a little break before resuming camp again.

So far, both fighters have done some verbal sparring. Caballero said he's upset Hall has made him wait so long for a title. And he was frustrated that his promoters were outbid, moving the fight to England.

Hall said his experience will be the key and anticipates that Caballero will be overconfident. Caballero said that's not the case.

"Like I've always said, there's something he has in the ring that's working for him, because he's been a world champion," Caballero said. "He has won the world title, but he's also lost the world title. If you think about it, this guy is beatable. He lost to a guy who came up from a lower weight class, with no power, and beat him. It gives me that extra confidence I need. It's not that I'm overconfident. I know I will go in there, take care of business and do what I have to do.

"I feel like I'm going to be the strong, smarter, wiser fighter is the ring that night. I'm going to do what I do best: control the fight from the first bell to the finish, take control of every round and break this guy down little by little."

Marcos Caballero said Hall is a tough fighter, but he doesn't find anything about him outstanding. Hall will try to get inside and be physical, but Marcos Caballero said he doesn't have the kind of power to concern his son. But Marcos also thinks Hall will come out desperate.

"He's going to come stronger with nothing to lose," Caballero said. "Randy is very confident and comfortable. Whatever we have to do, it doesn't matter."